Collapsible basket



"-Aug' 23 1927' R. Viv. BIRCH COLLAPSIBLE BASKET Filed Feb. 154 '1926 4sheets-sheet 1V i lgyz. y V

I. BY-

l; l *l ATTORNEY.

R. w. BIRCH COLLAPSIBLE BASKET l Aug. 23,1921. 1,639,921

Filedy Feb. l5. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

f /f /f 1 ATTORNEY..

Angl 3",1927.

R. w. BIRCH coLLAPsIBLE BASKET Filed Feb. 15. 1926 4 snets-sheet 3INVENTOR.

wafer/relax# f /5 if ATTORNEY.

Aug. 23 1927.

R. w. BlRlcH COLLAPSIBLE BASKET' Filed Feb. l5 1926 4 sheets-sheet 4ATTORNEY.

Patented 23,

sra

artnr ori-ica COLLAPSIBLE BASKET.

Application filed February 15, 19276. Serial No. 88,473.

rlhis invention relates generally tov .improvements in collapsiblecontainers and has more particular reference to a new and novelconstruction of collapsible knock-down bread basket.

The prima-ry object of this invention is the provision of such a basketso constructed that it may be quickly and readily set up or knocked downand which, whenin folded position will occupya minimum amount of space.

Another object of this invention is to pro vide such a basket embodyinga plurality of sections together with new and novel means for connectingthese sections together whereby to permit the convenient folding of thesame relative to one another. n

Another object of this invention is to provide an .improved collapsibleknock-down basket in which all of the parts thereof are connectedtogether at all times, so that when the crate is in Vits knock-downposition, loss f any parts thereof is prevented. y

Another object of this invention is the provision of improved means forfastening the top of the basket in closed position, said means being soconstructed and arranged that they will be out of the way when the topis unfastened.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a collapsibleknock-down basket which, while simple in construction, is nevertheless.strong, sturdy, and durable and well designed for the purposes for whichit is intended.

l/Vith these and numerous other objects in view, the invention residesin the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to bemore fully hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. i

ln the drawings forming a part of this application and wherein likecharacters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout theseveral views:

Figure 1 is a front elevationf of a col lapsible knock-down basketconstructed in accordance with thevpresent invention and showing theAsame in set-up condition.

Figure 2 is atop planview thereof.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the same. f

Figure e is an end view of the basket.

Figure 5 is a rear view of the same.

Figure 6 is sectional view on line 6'-6 of F iigure 2. f

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view on line J1-7 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is an end view of the basket showing the sameV in knocked-downcondition.

Figure 9 is a side view thereof.

Figure 10 is a sectional view on line 10e- 10 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a sectional view on line 11 11 of Figure 8. l l

Figure 12 is a perspective end view of a portion of the basket in set-upcondition.

Figure 18 is a similar view 'showing the same in knocked-down condition.

Figure 141 is a detail perspective view showing the manner of securingthe ends to the sides of the basket.

Figure 15 is a sectional view on line 15- 15 of Figure 1. l

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose ofillustration has been disclosed a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the improved collapsible knock-down basket embodies generallya rectangular-shaped bottom wall 10, front and rear walls 11 and 12, endwalls l13 and 14 and a` topor cover 15 which is suitably hinge-d as at16 to the rear wall 12.

The end walls 13 and 111 are hinged as at 17 to the upper surface of thebottom wallv 10 slightly inwardly of the ends thereof so that whenthebasket is in set-up condition, the said .end walls rest upon the bottornwall 10 iiush with the ends thereof and when the basket'is in knock-downcondition, they are swung inwardly as shown in Figure 11 and lie fiatupon the said bottom wall. Each of the end walls is provided immediatelyadjacent its lower edge with a horizontal brace bar 1S and passingvertically through the said brace bar is a pin or the like 19, the lowerportion of which is received within an opening 20 in the said bottomwall'when the ends are in set-up position. The end wallsV may be alsopro- Les vided, if desired, with suitable handles 2l to facilitate theliftinand carrying` of the basket.

The front and rear walls 11 and 12 are each provided adjacent its bottomedge with the longitudinally extending brace bar 22 and passingvertically through these brace bars are a plurality of pins or the like23 which are received within vertical openings 24 in the bottom wall 10when the said walls are adjusted to upright position. Secured to thebrace bars 22 are the longitudinally extending' strips 25 and 2G whichproject beyond the bottom edge of the front and rear walls and rest uponthe margins of the upper side of the bottom wall when the basket is inset-up position as is clearly shown in Figure 7.

Secured to the opposite ends of the bottom wall and slightly oifset fromthe lengt tudinal axis thereof in the direction of the front wall 11 arethe angle brackets 27 and 28, each of said brackets being provided. witha substantially vertical oortion 29 projecting upwardly beyond the saidbottom wall 10 and pivoted to the said upstandingr portion 29 of each ofthe said brackets 27 and 28 as indicated at 29 are the inner ends of theconnecting arms 30 and 31 and it will be noted upon reference to thedrawings that the arm 30 is somewhat longer than the arm 31.

Carried by the opposite ends of the front wall 11 and secured on top ofthe longitudinal extending` brace bar 22 are the angle brackets 32 and33. each of said brackets being' provided with an inwardly directedportion 34 formed adjacent its free inner end with a substantiallyvertical elongated slot 35 while carried by the opposite ends of therear wall 12 are similar brackets 3G and 37 each having the inwardlydirected portion 3S provided with the vertical slot 39 similar to theslots 35 in the portions 34 of the brackets 32 and 33.

The connecting' arms 31 are provided adjacent their outer ends with thepivotpins 40 which are received and operate within the slots 35 in thebrackets 32 and 33 while carried by the outer ends of the arms 30 aresimilar pins 41 received and operatingv within the slots 39 in thebrackets 36 and 37.

Secured to the bottoni surface of the bottom wall 10 at each end thereofand immediately adjacent its forward edge are the plates 42, said platesprojecting slightly beyond the ends of the bottom wall and being'provided with the upwardly directed lips 43 while secured to the underSurface of the sail bottom wall at each end thereof and immediatelyadjacent its rear edge are the plates 44 provided with the upwardlydirected lips which are slightly spaced from the ends of the bottomwall.

When the basket is in set-up condition,

both the front and rear, also the end walls are raised to a verticalposition and will rest at their lower edges upon the upper surface ofthe said bottom wall. The end walls 13 and 14 are then secured to thefront and rear walls 11 and 12 by means of 'the hooks 47 carried by thesaid end walls, and which are engaged with the eyes 48 carried by thesaid front and rear walls. lVhen in this positoir, the longitudinallyextendingl plates 25 and 26 will rest at their lower edges upon theupper side of the bottom wall at the front and rear margins thereofandthe pins 19 and 23 carried by the end and front and rear wallsrespectively will be received within the openings 2O and 24 in the saidbottom wall whereby the said sections will be rigidly braced relative tone another. Also7 when the basket is in se -up condition7 the inwardlydirected por- J.

vrt ions 34 of the bracket-s 32 and 83 are adapted to rest on the plates42 between the lips 43 thereof and the end of the bottom 10, while theinwardly directed portions 38 of the brackets 36 and 37 are adapted torest on the plates 44 between the lips 45 thereof and the adjacent endof the bottom 10. Y

Upon reference to the drawings and more especially' to Figure 12, theposition and arrangement of the various parts with respect to oneanother, when the basket is in set-up condition, can be clearly notedand attention is invited to the fact that when the basket is so set up,the connecting` arms 8O and 31 are in substantially horizontalpositions.

TWhen it is desired to knock down or fold the basket, the cover 15 isfirst thrown back so that it will engage and rest against the back ofthe rear wall 12 after which the end valls are disconnected from thefront and rear walls by disengaging the hooks 47 from the eyes 48 andthe said end wallsrcan then be swung inwardly and downwardly so thatthey will lie fiat upon the bottom wall 10. yl`he front wall 11 is thenswung' rearwardly and downwardly about the pivot pins 40 until it restsfiat upon the end walls after which the rear wall is raised until itclears the folded front` wall and it is then moved about the pivot pins41 and is folded down on top of the front wall. It will thus be seenthat the arms 30 must be longer than the arms 31 in order to permit therear wall to be folded upon the front wall. The strap 50 which isattached to the inner surface of the cover 15 but which when thesections are folded, will be on the outside, can then be wrapped aroundthe folded sections and engaged with the buckle 51 thereof. To set upthe basket, the above steps are simply reversed. That is to say, therear wall is first unfolded, after which the front wall is unfolded andthe end walls are then raised to a vertical position and thehooks 47engaged with the eyes 48.

in Figures l', 7 and l5 has been. disclosed the particular meansemployed. for fastening the cover. to the front wall il when the basketis in set-up condition, said means comprising the springs 52 andV 58positioned adjacent the opposite ends of the basket, the lower ends ofsaid springs beingy secured as at e to the longitudinallyy extendingbrace bar 55 secured to the front wall 1l approximately intermediate itsupper and lower edges. rlhe upper end of each of said springs is securedto a flat plate 56 'o the upper surface of which are securedubstantially iei-shaped member 58. The egs 5'? pass through spacedvertical openings formed in the longitudinally extending brace bar 59positioned at the upper end of the front wall and t-he upper surface ofthis brace bar is slightly recessed intermediate the said verticalopenings to receive the bight portion 60 of the inverted U-shaped member58 when the cover l5 is not fastened in closed position.

Secured to the top of the cover l5 adjacent each end thereof are thetransversely extending elongated plates 6l carrying the beaded pins 62which are received within t the free ends of the legs 57 of theinverted` and operate in the slots 63 in the latch mein.

having the reduced ends 65 which are received within the invertedU-shaped mem` bers When it is desired to fasten the cover, it is onlynecessary to press on the bottoms of the plates 56 and thus force theinverted lil-shaped members 58 upwardly through the openings in thecover l5, against the action of the springs 52 and 53. The latches Gilcan then be moved forwardly so that the reduced ends thereof will passbetween the legs 57 of the inverted t-shaped members and the contractingaction of the springs 52 and 53 will act to cause the bight portion toengage the latches and they will thus be held against accidentalrearward movementlV hen the latches are disengaged from the invertedU-shaped members, .so that the cover may be opened, the action of thesaid springs will automatically draw the said .members downwardly sothat the bight portions 'thereof will be received within the recesses inthe b ace bar 59 and thus held out of the way.

From the foregoing, it willbe apparent that there has been provided acollapsible inook-down basket which ywill accomplish all of the objectsand perform all of the funetions enumerated as being desirable in thestatement of the invention hereinabove, and that while there has beenshown a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is to beunderstood that the same is susceptible of modifications in variousparticulars and that any such modifications as properly fall ried b-ythe said front and rear walls and likewise adapted to rest at theirlower edges upon the said bottom wall at the front and rear' marginsthereof, connecting arms extending between and pivotally connected withthe said brackets and the front wall, and connecting arms extendingbetween and pivotally connected with theV said brackets and rear wall,said last mentioned arms being somewhat longer than the first mentionedarms.

2. Almock-down basketincluding a bottom wall, end walls hinged to theupper surface of the bottom wall slightly inwardly of the outer endsthereof and adapted to fold inwardly and lie flat thereupon, bracketscarried by the said bottom wall and extending beyond the ends thereof,front and rear walls adapted to rest at their lower edges upon thebottom wall, brackets carried by each end of the said front and rearwalls and extending inwardly thereof, and connect-ing arms extendingbetween and pivotally connected to the said brackets carried by thebottom wall and the brackets carried by the front and rear walls.

3. A knock-down basket including a bottom wall, end walls hinged to theupper surface of the bottom wall, brackets carried by the said bottomwall, front and rear walls disposed upon the said bottom wall, bracketscarried by the front and `rear walls, pivotal connections between thesaid brackets carried by the bottom wall and the brackets carried by thefront and rear walls, and plates carried by the bottom wall and havingupstanding lips spaced from the ends of said wall for supporting andretaining the said brackets carried by the front and rear walls.

4.' A knock-down basket comprising a bottom, end walls hinged directlyto the botton and radapted to rest at their lower edges in directcontact with the upper side of the bottom, when the vwalls are in set upposition, front wall, a rear wall, brackets secured to the outer sidesof the said front and rear walls at the lower corners thereof andincluding each a portion extending at right angles across and inwardlybeyond the adjacent vertical edge of the respective wall, bracketssecured to the under side of the bottom forwardly of the longitudinalmedian line of the bottom and including each a. portion extendingupwardly beside and above the corresponding end edge of the bottom, thebrackets at the lower corners of the front and rear Walls being providedin their said angulariy extending portions With vertical slots, armspivotally connected with the upstanding,` portions of the last mentionedbrackets which are secured to the bottom, pins carried by the outer endsof the arms W and pivotally and slidably engaging in the said slots, andacover hinged to the rear Wall at the upper edge thereof, the said coverbeing oldable to position resting upon the outer side of the rear Wall,the end Walls being oldable to lie upon the upper side of the bottom7and the front Wall being foldable to lie between the end Walls and therear Wall.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature.

ROBERT TVV. BIRCH.

